Category Archives: Health

A worrying number of schools contain asbestos, it’s a potential issue for nurseries too

We all know the dangers associated with asbestos, but how certain can you be that it is not contained within your nursery?

Worryingly it has been reported that between 200 and 300 former school children and a rising number of teachers die of mesothelioma each year, thought to be caused by the asbestos found in 86% of school buildings across the UK.

But obviously this is a potential issue in nurseries too.

It is important that all staff, particularly those responsible for the running of the buildings, are made aware of the potential hazards.  All staff should be instructed not to disturb or damage asbestos containing materials. Damage to nursery fixtures or fittings that could lead to the release of asbestos fibres need to be reported.

How do I know if asbestos is present and how do we manage it?

The Asbestos Man is able to work with you to devise and implement a comprehensive Asbestos policy that starts with a consultation, followed by a full site survey including the analysis of any suspect materials.

We will compile a user friendly report containing photographs, annotated plans and the appropriate recommendations from the survey findings. Where asbestos has been identified we will then work with you to put in place a management plan so that the occupants of the premises are protected.

For nurseries where budget does not allow a full site survey we can, in many cases, update an existing survey.

It is a legal requirement to undertake a refurbishment or demolition survey for asbestos containing materials prior to any works taking place.

If you have any enquiries regarding asbestos please do not hesitate to call (quoting reference code HH1):-

  Alan the Asbestos Man on 07510 104323

info@theasbestosman.co.uk

www.theasbestosman.co.uk

To view my Checkatrade page please click this link www.checkatrade.com/TheAsbestosMan/

 

Boys don’t cry? Supporting the emotional and mental health of boys and young men

“Teachers should be given training in working more effectively with boys to support healthier mental and emotional development and the skills to manage health services.”

The Mengage workshop  ‘ Boys don’t cry? Supporting the emotional and mental health of boys and young men’ provides teachers, teaching assistants and others involved in work with young males on this concern with a workshop exploring:

  • Act like a boy: what research has to say about the emotional and mental health of boys and young men
  • Issues and concerns: bullying, sexuality, peer pressure, relationships, pornography, body-image, exclusion, pressure to succeed/exams…
  • Being practical: what can schools do to support and enhance the emotional and mental health of boys and young men?  Action planning and implementation.

The 3 hour informal workshop is based on research and proven practical work with boys and young men, providing teachers, support staff, and staff from affiliated professions with knowledge about a concern that not only affects school performance but can have an impact across the lifespan – and an opportunity to consider practical solutions schools can implement to address this concern.

http://mengage.co.uk/workshop-boys-dont-cry-supporting-the-emotional-and-mental-health-of-boys-and-young-men/

£895 – we come to your school – workshop to be delivered by two facilitators.

liam@mengage.co.uk
♦ 01905 570180
♦ 07788725318

The Mirror Never Lies

How would you help a child who develops one of these illnesses? Would you be sympathetic to a mental illness or would you take the view that the child was being silly and irresponsible.

Today’s children are far more obsessed with body image than previous generations. Many of their role models are excessively thin, and for some being thin becomes equated with success and popularity. Dieting is not unusual among teenagers and it is terribly easy to carry it too far. It is not so easy to recover without a lot of support and understanding. Anorexia and bulimia are addictive illnesses in which the sufferer lies and conceals to attempt to cover up the addiction. There is a large amount of self-deception as the sufferer may see a fat person in the mirror even although those around him/her see an emaciated one. The sufferer does not want help as he/she is terrified of becoming fat.

This book was written by someone who herself suffered both anorexia and bulimia for sixteen years. It describes in detail how she damaged her health and jeopardised her family relationships and friendships through an illness to which she was not willing to admit. It also describes her struggle back to normal healthy eating. The latter sections of the book give practical advice for normal healthy eating and describe the physical side effects of not having a healthy diet.

If you would like to see sample pages please email sales@firstandbest.co.uk

Publisher’s reference: T1564EMN ISBN: 978 1 86083 655 8

Prices

  • Photocopiable report in a ring binder, £15.95 plus £3.95 delivery
  • CD with school-wide rights: £15.95 plus £3.95 delivery
  • Both the Ring Binder and the CD £21.94 plus £3.95 delivery

Prices include VAT.

You can purchase the report… please quote the order ref: T1564EMN

Training lifesavers and inspiring future doctors

A major part of medicine involves learning and applying knowledge, in order to save lives. An increasing amount of medical school applicants are choosing to learn first aid, which comes as no surprise, given their desire to save lives. Completing a first aid course can also help demonstrate enthusiasm and dedication for a career in medicine.

The MEDICS (Medical Emergencies, Defibrillation and Introduction to Clinical Skills) Simulation course has been specifically designed as a first aid course, for those hoping to study medicine or considering medicine as a potential career, by Saltworth Health.

Saltworth Health is a niche purpose-driven training organization – founded by doctors – which delivers a range of unique first aid courses. Saltworth Health brings a breath of fresh air to first aid training, revolutionising the way courses are delivered. We have thought up innovative and different ways to incorporate the hobbies and interests of students into our courses – as a result, our courses are more tailored towards students and therefore more engaging, making the information learnt memorable and easier to recall in a real emergency.

The MEDICS Simulation course is a one-day course delivered on a simulated ward (SaIL Centre) at Guy’s Hospital, London on Saturday 4th of June, 2016 and due to the size of the simulated ward, numbers are restricted to a maximum of 20 students.

The morning session covers first aid training and basic life support for medical emergencies such as asthma attack, choking, anaphylaxis and cardiac arrest, including defibrillation.

The afternoon session introduces students to relevant clinical skills used in resuscitation by paramedics, nurses or doctors such as cannulation (accessing blood vessels), venipuncture (taking bloods), injections, using an inhaler or epipen etc.

The MEDICS Sim course is stimulating, engaging and practical for all future medics. It is taught by doctors and delivered with a young audience in mind, ideal for students applying to medical schools by October 2016 (current Year 12 students). Further information can be found on our downloadable flyer (please feel free to circulate).

Fundamentally, students will learn important lifesaving skills but also get firsthand experience of being a ‘hospital medic’, as they are tested with real-time, high-pressure simulated scenarios, in a safe and supportive environment, offering a fantastic insight into medicine as a career.

Participants will be awarded an Emergency Life Support (ELS) certificate based on the Resuscitation Council UK guidelines.

Our courses are not simply a tick box exercise to support a student’s university application; they are designed to teach students how to respond correctly in emergencies.

If you would like a copy of our courses e-brochure or would like to be informed of future courses, visit the contact us page on our website and select the ‘Early bird notification’ option.

You can also write to us at Saltworth Health, 71 – 75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9JQ or give us a call on 02080048060.

Dr Dami Oyedele MBChB (Warwick) BSc (Hons) Cardiovascular Sciences

Medical Director

How easy is it to recognise the symptoms of anorexia or bulimia?

How would you help a child who develops one of these illnesses? Would you be sympathetic to a mental illness or would you take the view that the child was being silly and irresponsible.

Today’s children are far more obsessed with body image than previous generations. Many of their role models are excessively thin, and for some being thin becomes equated with success and popularity. Dieting is not unusual among teenagers and it is terribly easy to carry it too far. It is not so easy to recover without a lot of support and understanding. Anorexia and bulimia are addictive illnesses in which the sufferer lies and conceals to attempt to cover up the addiction. There is a large amount of self-deception as the sufferer may see a fat person in the mirror even although those around him/her see an emaciated one. The sufferer does not want help as he/she is terrified of becoming fat.

This book was written by someone who herself suffered both anorexia and bulimia for sixteen years. It describes in detail how she damaged her health and jeopardised her family relationships and friendships through an illness to which she was not willing to admit. It also describes her struggle back to normal healthy eating. The latter sections of the book give practical advice for normal healthy eating and describe the physical side effects of not having a healthy diet.

If you would like to see sample pages please email sales@firstandbest.co.uk

Publisher’s reference: T1564EMN ISBN: 978 1 86083 655 8

Prices

  • Photocopiable report in a ring binder, £15.95 plus £3.95 delivery
  • CD with school-wide rights: £15.95 plus £3.95 delivery
  • Both the Ring Binder and the CD £21.94 plus £3.95 delivery

Prices include VAT.

You can purchase the report… please quote the order ref: T1564EMN

How Important Is Your Student Healthcare?

There are quite a few school management information and database systems available which can record students’ health records.

Many of them are, of course, excellent.  But hidden within some of these systems is a potential risk, for they are part of a broader system which holds a wide range of information.

By its nature, such systems need to be accessible to a wide range of staff, and this can of course lead to sensitive information being shared outside of those who, for the purpose of their job, do need to have access to this information.

Given this potential problem, and the complication that health records should be stored until the student reaches the age of 25, we have worked with a number of school health professionals to develop a stand-alone product that is able to import data from a variety of MIS systems.

The result is Patient Tracker.  Because it is independent of any MIS system changes you might make, and as there is no annual licensing charge (only an optional maintenance and support charge), you can continue using the system for as long as required with no budget impact.

Training on Patient Tracker is given by practising school nurses, meaning practical advice related to the school situation is available and implementation becomes very easy.

Patient Tracker produces a selection of reports, including a number of statistical reports which are anonymous and so can be circulated.  In addition, the system includes a module that allows teaching staff to see who is booked into the medical facility and also who has an “off games” slip.

Vaccination records, BMI Calculation, Care Plans, medicine and consumable stock management, appointment management and document links are all included, as is a reminder system for adrenaline and asthma device expiry.

Many schools also store staff and visitor medical records on Patient Tracker, meaning that details of illness or injury to visitors and staff can be stored and reported on (separately if desired).

Key Points

  • Data securely stored on your network – not on the web.
  • Easy to use.
  • Continuity of care.
  • Care plans.
  • Inoculation tracking.
  • Statistical reports (e.g. how many sports injuries).
  • Training and assistance from registered school nurses.
  • Can link to external documents on your network.
  • Established UK wide user base.
  • Locally executed – no dependency on external parties.

Functionality / Features

MANAGE INDIVIDUALS LOGINS
Control which users can access which forms and year groups.  For example, junior school nurses can’t see senior school students unless allowed.  These permissions can be easily altered by the nurse designated as the system manager or “Super User”.

COMPREHENSIVE REPORTING
Patient Tracker offers a variety of reports – summarised, detailed and anonymous for Governors and your SLT. Reports are delivered using the included Crystal Reports module, which in addition to a great presentation format also allows you to export report data to PDF, Word, Excel and various other formats making reports easy to store and email.

SYSTEM SECURITY
Patient Tracker uses Microsoft recommended encryption techniques. In addition, data can only be accessed from machines with the application loaded and configured, and with the user’s login credentials. More importantly, your data is stored within your own network so is not accessible from the internet, and you are not dependent on any third parties to store and deliver your information.

COMMUNICATE EASILY
With built in email support, consultations and incidents can be directly reported to parents, as well as any other required party. The email module also allows you to add a note to the recipients and to attach any other relevant electronic documentation.

ATTENDANCE VIEWER
Included in the standard package is a separate module that will allow selected users on your network to view basic details on who has been booked in to the Medical Centre as well as who has been booked off games by the nurses. This module reflects attendance, discharge, discharge notes and who the student was discharged to.

REDUCE PAPERWORK
Many of Patient Tracker’s users have reported back to us that they have shredded all paper records. With the comprehensive level of data stored, as well as the ability to link to documents on your network, most written requirements fall away.

MEDICINE AND STOCK MANAGEMENT
Patient Tracker includes a simple stock system to manage medicines and materials such as bandages. Stock can be booked in, and reports can be generated for stock take and also to view where stock is being used.

REMINDERS
Inhaler and adrenaline pen expiry dates are recorded and reminder reports run to prompt renewal.

HEIGHT/WEIGHT AND BMI
The height to weight graphs give an excellent indication of the child’s development, and BMI is calculated and shown based on the latest measurements.

What do we need to run Patient Tracker?

A Windows PC is all that’s required, however in larger installations (we have some schools with over a dozen licenses) you would probably store the data on a central (MS-SQL) server.

If you would like to learn more about Patient Tracker we would be delighted to answer your questions – please email sales@patienttracker.co.uk, or call us on 01438 241085/07876 241263.  Or you can visit http://www.patienttracker.co.uk.

Please mention code HAM2016 when responding to this correspondence.

A fully functional demonstration (limited to 45 days) is available if you would like to try Patient Tracker live in your school.

Our nurses tell us that they have had great reviews from Ofsted when their Medical Facility has been visited.

Best wishes,

Dave Fox
Patient Tracker

Cheer up and have a cup of tea

We are all effected by grief during our lifetimes and we deal with it in different ways, statements like the above are often not very helpful when gripped with the intensity of feelings that this very raw emotion can bring. Death and Bereavement faced by a younger person can be more apparent.

Concord Media have put together a series of DVDs which can be used to help understand grief among different age groups and are a useful aid should you be faced with such circumstances within the school, they have even included a resource dealing with grief later in life.

Do have a look at the range of resources and you can click to see more details on each DVD below.

Teenage Grief

Animated film about teenagers coping with the death of someone close.

DVD 2007 13 Minutes – £27.20 + postage

Read More

Not Too Young to Grieve

Understanding and helping bereaved under fives.

DVD 2005 15 Minutes – £27.20 + postage

Read More

Grief in the Family

This animated film looks at the ways children and young people respond to grief, and how people can help.

DVD 2002 14 Minutes – £27.20 + postage

Read More

Bereavement in Later Life

Death and bereavement from the point of view of older people.

DVD 1993 40 Minutes – £50.00 + postage

Read More

Facing Chronic Illness and Death when the Patient is a Child

Help for carers of children with terminal illness.

DVD 1982 58 Minutes – £31.30 = postage

Read More

You can order on line by clicking on the links in the copy above or by emailing us at sales@concordmedia.org.uk  Please put ref HH1 in your order.

 

A clear understanding of FGM

On the 31st October 2015 new procedures for reporting Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) were introduced by government office as a mandatory duty for teachers in schools and academies.

Also, FGM forms part of the Safeguarding remit which is an OFSTED limiting judgement.

Our secure interactive online training module is designed to ensure staff in schools and academies have a clear understanding of FGM and can effectively meet this duty.

The module is CPD Certified and will ensure you and your staff are fully compliant with OFSTED requirements whilst earning valuable CPD points.

The service is so easy-to-use and will quickly ensure you comply with requirements in the most cost-effective manner from just £150 per school/academy.

To find out more please click HERE.

86% of school buildings contain asbestos, yet 44% of teachers are unaware that their school is one.

Naturally, as time goes on, buildings age. And whilst this might increase their value, it also increases the likelihood of the building containing substances which have been found to harm the health of those inhabiting it on a regular basis.

Kevin Courtney, NUT general Secretary, reported that between 200 and 300 former school children and a rising number of teachers die of mesothelioma each year, thought to be caused by the asbestos found in 86% of school building across the UK.

NUT lead on asbestos, Sarah Lyons, commented, “The asbestos that’s in our schools now is getting older and older, so it’s deteriorating and if it’s in a poor condition then it’s in a more dangerous state”

So where does the responsibility lie?

The responsibility for managing asbestos in schools lies with the duty holder, this is normally the employer which in state schools is often the local authority. For academies, free schools, voluntary-aided and foundation schools, it will be the school governors, proprietor or trustees.

It is important that all staff, particularly those responsible for the running of the buildings, are made aware of the potential hazards.  All staff should be instructed not to disturb or damage asbestos containing materials, Damage to school fixtures or fittings that could lead to the release of asbestos fibres need to be reported.

How does the school know if there is asbestos present and how does it manage it?

The Asbestos Man is able to work with you to devise and implement a comprehensive Asbestos policy that starts with a consultation, followed by a full site survey including the analysis of any suspect materials. We will compile a user friendly report containing photographs, annotated plans and the appropriate recommendations from the survey findings. Where asbestos has been identified we will then work with you to put in place a management plan so that the occupants of the premises are protected.

We can’t afford a full survey

For schools where budget does not allow a full site survey we can in many cases update an existing survey.

Did you know?
It is a legal requirement to undertake a refurbishment or demolition survey for asbestos containing materials prior to any works taking place.

If you have any enquiries regarding asbestos please do not hesitate to call:-

  Alan the Asbestos Man on 07510104323

 info@theasbestosman.co.uk

 www.theasbestosman.co.uk

Snacking is commonplace in Britain, and so children think it is natural. Does it matter? What should we do?

Children snack because that is what they see their parents and their peers do. It has become a normal part of life in Britain.

Having a snack, therefore, is often not a response to hunger (although many children will claim to be “starving” at any time of the day). Rather it is a cultural activity. It is common in some countries, virtually unknown in others.

In essence there is nothing much wrong with snacking in itself, but there is everything wrong with snacking too much and with snacking on the wrong foods.

And this is where the problem arises, because many children (along with many of their parents) simply don’t know what foods are healthy and which ones are not.

Which is why it is important that we help children to discover healthier food during childhood, rather than the foods that may lead them into overeating and ultimately being overweight (an issue for 64% of the UK population, according to Health England’s report in 2014).

And this is why we have set up Tasty Tuck Shop – a simple-to-run school tuck shop based entirely on healthy food and drink.

You pick and choose the snacks you sell, meaning your Tuck Shop stays varied and appealing – and your teaching colleagues can help the children understand more about the healthier options that the shop offers.

We make a Tuck Shop simple to set up, there are no set up forms, etc, and we supply posters, nutritional information, stands to display products, and an example letter to give to parents.

The snacks sell for as little as 35p, and our ‘Healthy Range’ fully complies with the new ‘National School Food Standards’ that were introduced January 2015.

You can find more information by clicking here.

Alternatively please do call James on 01206 391179 or email me at james@tastytubs.co.uk

How can a school show it is exercising its duty of care to staff who are suffering from work-related stress?

“All employers have legal responsibility under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 to ensure the health safety and welfare at work of their employees.”

That bold statement comes from the government’s Health and Safety Executive website which lays down the duty of care that all employers have for their employees, and of course it applies to schools as much as any other place of work.

Of course, the amount of heavy lifting and the operation of noisy machinery in a school is limited, but there is one area where schools are vulnerable to challenges under the duty of care rules and that is stress.

Schools have a double obligation here: to do whatever is practical to reduce the level of stress; and if there are signs of stress such as anxiety, depression, a decline in work standards, emotional behaviour, time off work, they have to offer support.

But can anything practically be done? 

In fact there are two approaches that schools are using. The first is to look at what aspect(s) of work may be causing stress for that particular teacher and see if anything can be changed (not only for this teacher, but for others who may also be starting to feel stressed within their job).

The other is to offer help and support to the teacher in terms of suggesting a programme of activity that can be used to help overcome the stress.

Of course, the fact that teaching is the profession which now suffers from the third highest level of stress of any occupation in the UK does not make recovery from stress easy.

But if a stress reduction programme is incorporated into the school’s work and is available for any member of staff who is feeling overwhelmed by the pressure of teaching, then it is very possible that some staff who might succumb to serious levels of stress can be helped. The resultant benefits for the teacher and the school are enormous.

By introducing the teacher suffering from stress to various techniques it is quite possible that the teacher will be able to avoid the stress turning into a serious long-term illness, allowing the teacher to make rapid progress on the road to recovery.

Such an approach simply recognises that the only way out of stress is for the individual to undertake the journey of recovery him/herself. That does not mean that the stress-causing factors in the school or elsewhere are ignored, but it is nevertheless essential that the individual teacher is taking the steps to start to deal with stress.

The volume thus helps school managers who don’t suffer from excessive stress to understand what their colleague under stress is going through and to see how she or he can be helped.

It deals not only with ways of reducing the levels of stress that teachers suffer from, but also offers a programme of practical help that can be offered to the teacher who is suffering from stress. The volume also includes a set of templates relating to the school’s policy on stress and a risk assessment programme.

The volume can be bought as a photocopiable ring bound book or on CD Rom.

You can see some sample pages at http://pdf.firstandbest.co.uk/education/T1786.pdf

Publisher’s reference: T1786EMN ISBN: 978 1 86083 840 8

Prices

  • Photocopiable report in a ring binder, £49.95 plus £3.95 delivery
  • CD with school-wide rights: £49.95 plus £3.95 delivery
  • Both the Ring Binder and the CD £56.94 plus £3.95 delivery

Prices include VAT.

You can purchase the report… please quote the order ref: T1786EMN

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Motivate your students with eight simple activities

Developing your students’ mental resilience

The pressure for students to perform well during the exam years can become stressful for both students and staff. Managing this stress and supporting students to stay motivated throughout the year ahead and focus on their goals is essential.

Some students will need more support than others but everybody can benefit from exercises that challenge them to think differently about their situation, strive for more in life and align their goals with their values.

The earlier students are encouraged to develop their mindset and focus on resilience for the challenges they face ahead, the better. Raising motivation and ultimately grades does not happen overnight, you need a structured programme that can be used from the outset all the way to the start of the exams.

Our solution comes in the form of eight worksheets in a ready-made booklet – ‘Greatest Strength Workbook for Students’. It comes with a free teacher’s guide and is available as an instant download. A sample can be downloaded for free to give you an idea of what you get. The licenses to print the workbook then start from only £49.99.

Helping students learn to overcome stress, teaching them to motivate themselves, encouraging them to plan for the future and develop confidence to try new things are essential skills

To develop these skills, students must explore them. Finding time in the school day to focus on these areas can be challenging but could you find ten minutes to introduce an activity that was already prepared and ready to use?

The full details are available at: http://newset-training.com/students.html

Thanks and I wish you and your students the best during the year.

Clare Martin

Newset Training